Search found 22 matches

by BradNasset
Sun Mar 24, 2024 11:31 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: 8" f/12 classic cassegrain collimation
Replies: 2
Views: 94

Re: 8" f/12 classic cassegrain collimation

Trivia tip- I case you might ever think about this - You don't need "Bob's Knobs" for this, as collimation is done so seldom on this scope. Besides they stick out so far you can't use the lens cap cover anymore.
by BradNasset
Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:48 am
Forum: Marketplace/Exchange
Topic: WANTED: Baader solar filter film
Replies: 2
Views: 702

Re: WANTED: Baader solar filter film

Thousand Oaks Optical has 8x8 sheet of solar film for about $20. Orange. Works great for me. I clamp it in an embroidery hoop and tape it to whatever. Unless, of course, you are looking for a nice one that fits. I use this for camera lenses.
by BradNasset
Wed Dec 27, 2023 9:43 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Suresh's 2023 Astro Pics
Replies: 7
Views: 2057

Re: Suresh's 2023 Astro Pics

Really amazing!
Calls for some deep thinking! Not about the equipment or processing techniques, but about "up there!"
by BradNasset
Wed Nov 01, 2023 7:35 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: A Few Newbie Questions
Replies: 9
Views: 3034

Re: A Few Newbie Questions

Mosquitoes - long sleeves and bug repellent. To keep the bug goo off your hands, and therefore off your equipment, I use the plastic gloves people use for painting or whatever. Easy. He is what I generally used to do for a telescope: I just get one with all the accessories, use it for a bit, then wi...
by BradNasset
Fri Jun 30, 2023 1:50 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Collimation
Replies: 6
Views: 6438

Re: Collimation

Here is a diagram I made for someone awhile back. You may know this, but might help to visualize
Visualizing Collimation of Newtonian.pdf
(290.72 KiB) Downloaded 202 times
.
Brad
by BradNasset
Fri Jun 09, 2023 2:05 pm
Forum: MAS Electronic Media & Book Group
Topic: Sky & Telescope Subscription
Replies: 1
Views: 1997

Sky & Telescope Subscription

I doubt this is the correct tab for posting this, but is the best I could find right now. I keep getting hard-copy, mailed renewal info from Sky & Telescope all the time. I tried to log in and thought I would renew on-line. I logged into the general S&T website and it said the subscription w...
by BradNasset
Wed Feb 15, 2023 12:36 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Sextant understanding and use
Replies: 4
Views: 5985

Re: Sextant understanding and use

Nice Instrument!!

This probably goes further than your question, but to know the history of how both sextants and chronometers were critical to finding your location at sea would give you an in-depth view and history of your wonderful instrument.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_chronometer
by BradNasset
Wed Feb 01, 2023 12:08 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Harvary College Observatory Project
Replies: 0
Views: 6816

Harvary College Observatory Project

In the last issue of Sky & Telescope there was an article titled "Star Notes" about the OLD notebooks from Harvard women astronomers. They had a link to a crowd-source project to help them sort out the scanned images of all the books. I tried it, and have looked at upwards of 2,000 pag...
by BradNasset
Mon Dec 05, 2022 1:24 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: I was given a telescope now what?
Replies: 19
Views: 12031

Re: I was given a telescope now what?

Sweet! What a nice gift. Blow or vacuum the dust off - without touching - and get at it while you wait for the cleaning stuff Steve says to get. 'Sort of clean' is often clean enough. Oh, does Amazon get to the Iron Range??? (smile) Get an astronomy app like SkySafari. Or Stellarium is available for...
by BradNasset
Sun Nov 06, 2022 6:48 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: telescope
Replies: 16
Views: 9759

Re: telescope

I would buy the one listed for sale on this very forum. Ask one of us how to set it up. This style mount is often called a 'hobby killer' if you never ask how to use it. Ask, and understand it a bit, and it is a great mount.
by BradNasset
Tue Aug 30, 2022 12:23 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Merritt Reservoir State Park - Nebraska
Replies: 4
Views: 5201

Re: Merritt Reservoir State Park - Nebraska

Suresh, Just have to remember it's really about the stories to tell, not the boring ol' "Ya, the weather was nice!" See, feeling like a human bratwurst cooking in our rented, non-airconditioned, pop-up camper with a broken refrigerator is a fun story. And don't forget about the god-awful p...
by BradNasset
Mon Aug 29, 2022 1:17 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Merritt Reservoir State Park - Nebraska
Replies: 4
Views: 5201

Merritt Reservoir State Park - Nebraska

Many have been there - the site of the Nebraska Star Party, so I thought I would share some news! Every now and again I write to the Nebraska Parks Commission about preserving the night sky. From the little lookout point on the north side of the dam at Merritt Reservoir, there are only three streetl...
by BradNasset
Sun Jul 31, 2022 12:00 pm
Forum: MAS Star Parties and Events
Topic: 15th annual Camping with the Stars
Replies: 32
Views: 12396

Re: 15th annual Camping with the Stars

What a nice CWTS!! I want to share a story about the young girl that won the big telescope in the raffle. Not sure but maybe she was in middle school?? No older. Earlier Saturday afternoon she and her mother were in the observatory and she was really excited and asking about, well, everything. Dave ...
by BradNasset
Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:59 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: 1st Telescope recommendations
Replies: 8
Views: 1520

Re: 1st Telescope recommendations

Tim- Couple other things just for budgetary consideration. 1. Dew control- For me this was the biggest 'unwelcome surprise' starting out. If you get a Celestron (with the front-face corrector lens) it will fog up with dew within about 10-20 minutes on many/most nights, making the scope useless, so s...
by BradNasset
Sun May 31, 2020 4:48 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Backyard observing in the city
Replies: 13
Views: 1737

Re: Backyard observing in the city

Lots of Messier objects are fuzzy galaxies that are pretty much invisible in a bright sky. However, a number of Messier objects are 'open clusters' of stars- groups of stars that just about fill the field of view in a lower/mid power eyepiece. Your field of view in your eyepiece looks like a mini un...
by BradNasset
Sat May 30, 2020 12:28 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: New Member - Excited to Get Started!
Replies: 5
Views: 939

Re: New Member - Excited to Get Started!

Welcome! This is a great hobby! There are a number of phone/iPad apps for finding constellations and planets and deep space objects (all in the same app). Lots of folks use Sky Safari - it is a legit, really good app. Think it is $2.99. 400 years of astronomical research and study for three bucks - ...
by BradNasset
Sun May 10, 2020 10:39 am
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: Collimating
Replies: 4
Views: 838

Re: Collimating

Welcome! Attached is a graphic I made some time ago that might help. Nothing to be afraid of. Generally the secondary is pretty close when new. Here is a pretty basic method for the secondary: Get your eye in the center of the eyepiece hole, and see if the mirror looks centered. Often you might be a...
by BradNasset
Thu Nov 21, 2019 7:40 am
Forum: Forum Help, Comments
Topic: Testers Needed for iPad Users
Replies: 2
Views: 5176

Re: Testers Needed for iPad Users

Clayton,
The MAS site now works with my iPad if I use Firefox. Go figure...
by BradNasset
Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:33 am
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Cord Wrap
Replies: 6
Views: 1176

Re: Cord Wrap

At the hardware store I got a few small rubber stoppers about the diameter of my little finger or smaller. Held them with a pliers, drilled a hole in the center about the size of the wires, then slit one side open with a knife. Put around the cable about 12 inches from the Mount-end of the cable, ti...
by BradNasset
Sat Oct 20, 2018 2:27 pm
Forum: General Astronomy
Topic: Artificial Moon to be Launched
Replies: 5
Views: 934

Re: Artificial Moon to be Launched

Seems like a really, really bad idea! Hmmmm….. if a magnifying glass can start fires, wonder if this will become a weapon? Or at least light up the enemy on the battlefield? Jeez, until I wrote this, never thought I was a conspiracy thinker. Seen enough in my life so far not to think this. Will be i...
by BradNasset
Wed Dec 06, 2017 7:38 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: December BSIG -- Intro to Astro Imaging - Sat. Dec. 9th - 2:30pm
Replies: 8
Views: 1214

Re: December BSIG -- Intro to Astro Imaging - Sat. Dec. 9th - 2:30pm

Thank you, Suresh. I like the chase as much as time at the scope. Lots to learn, so this helps. Appreciate all your time, and the links. Brad
by BradNasset
Wed Dec 06, 2017 2:17 pm
Forum: Beginners SIG
Topic: December BSIG -- Intro to Astro Imaging - Sat. Dec. 9th - 2:30pm
Replies: 8
Views: 1214

Re: December BSIG -- Intro to Astro Imaging - Sat. Dec. 9th - 2:30pm

Really dissappointed I can't make it this Saturday, but have a question about imaging that I will ask here in case it might spark someone else's thinking. I have a Celestron C8. Really new to this. I have been fiddling with this using a 2 inch back and 2 inch tube going to the Canon 40D camera. Got ...